7 Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

For many fans, the second installment of the prequel trilogy, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, holds a unique place in the saga. It expanded the galaxy far, far away with a sprawling political plot, introduced a secret clone army, and gave us some of the most memorable—and meme-able—dialogue in the franchise. However, beneath the sweeping battles and galactic intrigue lie a number of filmmaking flubs that, once noticed, can never be unseen. From strange continuity errors to baffling technical glitches, these mistakes stand out in a film that relies so heavily on visual effects.

As we revisit Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s secret romance or Obi-Wan’s investigation on Kamino, prepare to take note of these seven unforgettable goofs.

 1. The Galaxy’s Worst Undercover Mission

When Padmé and Anakin are forced to leave Coruscant due to a Separatist threat on her life, they are told to travel to Naboo in disguise. Obi-Wan explicitly warns them to stay hidden and pose as refugees to avoid drawing attention to themselves. However, the pair seems to take this instruction as more of a suggestion rather than a directive. Anakin, for his part, makes no attempt to cover up his very distinctive Padawan braid— a hairstyle instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the Jedi Order.

Padmé, meanwhile, completely ignores the idea of dressing inconspicuously. Instead of wearing simple, refugee-like clothing, she continues to sport a series of elaborate, expensive, and attention-grabbing outfits. Her extravagant wardrobe includes a stylish travel cloak and a luxurious gown that would stand out on any planet, let alone in a crowd of ordinary citizens. This baffling lack of discretion turns their supposedly secret mission into a fashion show, making their cover as simple refugees utterly unbelievable.

2. A Bold and Very Stupid Drug Dealer

Early in the film, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are investigating an assassination attempt on Coruscant. Obi-Wan tracks a bounty hunter to a bustling bar in the lower levels and immediately notices a suspicious-looking character trying to sell “death sticks” to customers. This drug dealer approaches Obi-Wan, a Jedi Knight, and offers to sell his illegal items. Considering that Jedi are instantly recognizable by their distinctive robes and heavy presence on Coruscant as their home base, this moment raises some questions.

This criminal has the audacity to try and sell his illegal drgus not only to someone who is essentially a law enforcement officer, but to one of the most powerful and feared protectors of the Republic. This isn’t a backwater planet on the Outer Rim; it’s the Republic’s capital, a hub of galactic law and order. The bold—and incredibly foolish—move by the dealer, and Obi-Wan’s calm response, makes for an iconic scene, but it also shows a serious lapse in common sense for a career criminal (unless, of course, his lack of judgment was a result of sampling his own product).

3. The Unnatural Shadow on the Lars Homestead

As Padmé and Anakin travel to Tatooine to find Anakin’s mother, their emotional journey takes them to the Lars homestead. Here, they stand outside as the sun sets, sharing a heartfelt conversation about Anakin’s pain and his fears of losing his loved ones. The scene is shot beautifully to capture the sweeping desert landscape and the twin suns. However, eagle-eyed viewers may notice an unusual detail about the shadows on the wall behind them.

Throughout the conversation, the shadows on the walls of the Lars’ home move and shift unnaturally between shots. They don’t follow the logical progression of the setting suns, instead appearing to jump around erratically. This error is most likely due to filming on a green screen, where lighting and shadows are not always consistent. The jumping shadows are a noticable inconsistency that pulls the viewer out of suspending belief.

4. Ki-Adi-Mundi‘s Changing Lightsaber

During the climactic arena battle on Geonosis, an army of Jedi wield their lightsabers with skill and precision against the Separatist droid army. Among them is Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, known for his unique Cerean head. As the battle unfolds and he joins the fight, his lightsaber appears to change color in a key moment. While he is widely known to use a blue blade, a quick cut shows him briefly wielding a green one.

This quick lightsaber swap is a classic editing mistake likely caused by a combination of visual effects and continuity errors during post-production. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but it stands out in a series so meticulous about its character details and signature weapons. While some fans have tried to explain the inconsistency, suggesting Ki-Adi-Mundi may have had a multi-crystal lightsaber, the simplest explanation is a minor but noticeable glitch in the final cut.

5. An All-Knowing Senator

After Padmé falls from the gunship during the chaotic Battle of Geonosis, a Clone Trooper rushes to her side to ensure she’s safe. Though she has just been knocked unconscious by the fall, Padmé quickly regains her senses and orders the trooper to get a transport ready. She then tells him that they need to follow Anakin and Obi-Wan to the hangar where Count Dooku is heading.

Her instruction is a glaring continuity error. As Padmé fell from the gunship, she couldn’t have possibly known that Anakin and Obi-Wan were chasing Dooku, let alone that they were heading to a specific hangar. This line of dialogue is a significant lapse in logic that gives Padmé a Jedi-like level of knowledge. It’s an information shortcut that was clearly needed for the plot to progress, but it ignores the simple fact that Padmé had no way of knowing where Anakin and Obi-an were headed.

6. Anakin’s Harrowing Confession

The romance between Anakin and Padmé is one of the most important plot points of Attack of the Clones, yet their relationship is built on a series of unsettling moments. The most infamous is when Anakin confesses to Padmé that he slaughtered an entire village of Tusken Raiders, “not just the men, but the women and the children, too.” This moment is clearly meant to show his descent into darkness due to his inability to control his feelings and avoid the anger like the Jedi Order teaches.

The mistake here isn’t a visual or audio glitch but an illogical one— Padmé’s bizarre lack of reaction to an act of mass murder. Despite Anakin’s horrifying admission, she comforts him and does not show any sympathy for the entire clan that Anakin slaughtered. This moment is a writing flaw that undermines Padmé’s character as a compassionate and strong-willed senator. Her lack of a moral objection to Anakin’s actions is way out-of-character and serves as a major foreshadowing of the future of their relationship.

7. The Forgotten Sith Threat

At the conclusion of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the Jedi Council is deeply concerned about the return of the Sith. During Qui-Gon Jinn’s funeral, Yoda and Mace Windu discuss the implications of the Sith’s re-emergence, noting that the Rule of Two is once again in effect and that the Jedi’s ability to sense the Force has been clouded. This conversation establishes the Sith as the central, overarching threat for the Jedi Order, one that requires their immediate and undivided attention.

However, a full decade later, when Attack of the Clones begins, the threat of the Sith seems to have been completely forgotten by the Jedi Council. The film focuses on the Separatist crisis and the Jedi’s investigation into the clone army, with no mention of their previous threat. It isn’t until Count Dooku explicitly mentions a mysterious “Darth Sidious” to Obi-Wan that the Jedi remember their greatest enemy. This dramatic shift from a main concern to a forgotten detail is a major oversight that makes the Jedi seem far less vigilant than they should be, and the audience is left wondering what happened to all that earlier concern.